Water cooler

ABSTRACT

A water cooler ( 10 ) comprises an internal tank ( 400 ) that is normally connected to an inverted reservoir ( 200 ) and to a delivery spout ( 122 ). A cup shaped filter ( 300 ) is placed in the water passage ( 138, 152, 402 ) leading from the reservoir to the tank. The filter contains filtration material. It also has microscopic openings ( 323 ) in its cover and base ( 306 ) through which water passes into and out of a filter cup.

This is a U.S. National Phase Entry of PCT Application No.PCT/ZA2004/000105, filed Sep. 6, 2004, with a priority date of Sep. 5,2003, based upon Application No. ZA 2003/6951 filed in South Africa.

This invention relates to a water cooler.

This invention is concerned with a water cooler of the kind comprising atank that is connected to an outlet spout from which water is dispensed,a water passage leading to the tank, and a support on which an invertedwater reservoir may be placed to deliver water to the cooler, thesupport including an inlet that in use is connected to the reservoir andthat communicates with the water passage to deliver water to the tank.Such water cooler is hereinafter referred to as “a water cooler of thekind set forth”.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a watercooler of the kind set forth further comprising a removable filterlocated between the port and the inlet. The cooler preferably includes acup shaped receptacle in which the filter is releasably received. Thefilter too comprises a cup shaped member having a cover thereon and witha base therebelow, within which member filtration media is received. Thefilter and the receptacle both normally comprise bases and these twobases are preferably slightly spaced so that water passing through thefilter will be received on the base of the receptacle. The base of thereceptacle is preferably provided with an outlet opening that isconnected to the inlet on the tank.

At the top of the receptacle there is conveniently an upwardly directedsurface and the filter preferably has a surrounding flange which restson the surface to support the filter within the receptacle. The outeredge of the flange is preferably upwardly inclined to give the flange adegree of flexibility so as to seal effectively against the upwardlydirected surface.

The water cooler is adapted for use with a reservoir having an outletmouth which incorporates delivery ports within which is a normallyclosed closure valve that is movable to an open position in which itexposes the delivery ports, wherein the filter is shaped with anupwardly projecting portion that is capable of engaging the closurevalve to move it into the open position when the reservoir is placed inposition on the cooler. The filter conveniently comprises a cover memberof which the centre portion constitutes the said projecting portion. Anaxially extending reinforcing pillar is conveniently provided in thefilter to reinforce the projecting portion.

The tank is preferably formed with two upwardly projecting tubespreferably formed integrally therewith, one of the tubes being at thecentre of the tank with its mouth constituting the inlet and the secondtube at the side of the tank and open near the base of the tank toconstitute a delivery tube. The delivery tube being connected by aflexible pipe to the said controllable outlet.

A cooling device is preferably provided adjacent the tank. This coolingdevice is preferably a Peltier cooler having a cooling plate that drawsheat from the contents of the tank. The tank is conveniently formed withan enlarged aperture in which the cooling plate is received.

Conveniently the water cooler comprises an overflow tank connected tothe water reception chamber so that when excess water enters the waterreception chamber this is conveyed to the overflow tank. The supportpreferably comprises a cover for the overflow tank and is preferablymovable relative to the main body to expose the interior of the tank forcleaning.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a waterreservoir for use with a water cooler as described above, the waterreservoir having an enlarged outlet mouth within which is a closurevalve incorporating a valve member that is movable from a sealingposition to an open position in which it permits water to flow throughthe valve. Preferably the valve has a wall having openings therein andthe valve member when in the sealing position is downstream of theopenings and seals against the wall and when in the open position isupstream of the opening so that water in the reservoir can escapethrough the openings.

Conveniently the wall comprises upper and lower portions on either sideof the openings there being columns extending preferably axially betweenthe said wall portions and between which the openings are formed. Thecolumns preferably taper inwardly towards the centre of the wall. Thewall and valve member are preferably formed separately of the reservoirand suitably connected thereto for example by having an inwardlydirected threaded surface which is threaded on to the outwardly threadedmouth.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided thecombination of a cooler as set out above with a water reservoir as setout above.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:—

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main unit of a cooler of theinvention,

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through a cooler of the invention,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail section through the cooler at the locationof the filter,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a filter,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view from above of the filter cap,

FIG. 6 is an exploded side view of a filter housing,

FIG. 7 is an enlarged transverse section through the closure member forthe reservoir mouth with the valve shown in the sealing position,

FIG. 8 is a detail section on line 8-8 of FIG. 7 showing the shape ofthe columns,

FIG. 9 is a front view of the chiller tank,

FIG. 10 is a section on line 10-10 of FIG. 9, and

FIG. 11 is a transverse section though the cooler showing the separatingshelf.

FIG. 12 is a side view partially in section of the upper part of amodified water cooler of the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 11, there is shown a miniature water cooler10 comprising a main unit 100 and a removable water reservoir 200.

The main unit 100 includes a housing 102 which consists of three mouldedplastic members 104, 106 and 108. There is a one piece moulded frontmember 104 consisting of a base 110, two side walls 112 and a front 114with the rear open. A top member 108 covers the housing 102. A rearclosure plate 106 is provided.

Within the housing 102 is an inwardly directed shelf 116 leading fromthe front wall 114. Below the shelf 116 is a water chiller tank 400.Near the top of the front wall 114 is a central dispensing outlet spout122 with a valve operating lever 124 and a spigot 126 that passesthrough the front wall 114. The chiller tank 400, which will bedescribed more fully below, has a central inlet tube 402 from the topwall 404 (see FIGS. 7 and 9) and a dispensing tube 406 extendingupwardly from one corner. The dispensing tube 406 is connected by aflexible pipe (not shown) to the spigot 126 of the dispensing valve 122.Slots 128 (see FIG. 11) are provided in the edge of the shelf 116 toaccommodate the tubes 402 and 406.

The top member 108 comprises side members 130 which are rounded to mergesmoothly and in an aesthetically pleasing manner with a top surface 132.Within the top surface 132 is an inwardly and downwardly directedconcave lead-in portion 134 which leads to a cylindrical aperture 136and which defines a water reception chamber. A shallow radialventilating groove 137 is provided in the upper face of the lead-inportion 134 Below the aperture 136 is a generally cup shaped filterreceptacle 138 the upper end 140 of which is spaced from the aperture136 by an upwardly directed annular surface 142. The receptacle 138 hasa side wall 144 which is formed as a surface of revolution comprising anupper cylindrical portion 146 and a lower cylindrical portion 148 joinedby a curved portion 149. The receptacle 138 has a base 150 near one sideof which is a hollow outlet boss 152 that fits over the end of the inlettube 402 of the tank 120. The receptacle 138, boss 152 and tube 402 forma water passage leading to the tank 400 with the mouth of the receptacleforming the inlet thereto.

Releasably received within the receptacle 138 is a filter 300. Thefilter 300 comprises a filter cup 302 the side walls 304 of which aregenerally the same shape as those of the receptacle 138 although of asmaller size. The base 306 of the cup 302 is generally flat. When thefilter cup 302 is received within the receptacle 138, the base 306 isspaced from the base 150 by a few millimeters. Extending upwardly fromthe base 306 of the filter cup 302 and formed integrally therewith is ahollow reinforcing pillar 308 the purpose of which will be describedmore fully below.

Near to the upper end of the filter cup 302 is an outwardly directedflange 310 (best shown in FIG. 4). The flange 310 is upwardly curved sothat its upper surface forms a groove 312 for the purpose which will bedescribed. This flange 310 seats on the annular surface 142 of thereceptacle 138. Above the flange 310, the filter cup 302 receives a clipon cover member 314. The cover member 314 consists of a cylindrical sidewall 316 and an upper surface 318 which has a central smaller flat part320 with a concave skirt 322 leading to the upper end of the wall 316.The upper surface 318 is provided with fine openings 323 arranged inwavy formations through which water can pass (best shown in FIG. 5). Thelower part 317 of the side wall 316 is an unperforated cylinder which inuse fits over and covers the end 303 of the cup 302 above the flange310. Axially extending openings 324 are formed in the upper part of thewall 316. These openings lead to the water reception chamber and thenceto the interior of the filter cup 302. The base 306 of the filter cup302 also has very small or microscopic openings (not shown) throughwhich the water can pass.

Filter media, not shown, is contained within the filter cup 302surrounding the pillar 308.

The small openings 324 in the cover member 314 and those in the base 306of the cup serve as a mechanical filters which operates with thechemical filtration of the filter media to provide well filtered water.

It will be appreciated that the filter 300 is located in the waterpassage between the inlet thereto and the tank and provides filteredwater to the tank for subsequent delivery through the spout.

The tank 400 comprises a front portion 410 with a rear closure part toform a parallipipedal member which fits closely behind the front wall114 of the housing 102 and below the shelf 116. The front portion 410has a diffusing plate 412 (see FIGS. 9 and 10) located below the inlettube 402 and extending to near the sides 414 of the tank 400. The ends416 of the plate 412 are rounded so that water can pass therearound in acontrolled manner. A small flange 417 is formed on each side member 414closely below the space between the rounded end 416 of the plate 412 andthe sides 414 so that water entering into the tank will do so in asmooth and controlled manner.

As mentioned above, the dispensing tube 406 is provided at one corner ofthe tank 400. The tube 406 is a continuation of an internal part 418which has an opening 420 at the lower end of the tank. A rectangularopening 422 is provided in the rear wall 424 of the tank 400. In thelower wall 426 of the tank 400 is an opening 428 leading to a spigot 430which the end of which is of reduced outer diameter and which passesthrough an opening 432 in the base 154 of the front member 104. Aremovable closure cap 434 (not shown in FIG. 2) is provided on thereduced portion of the spigot 430.

Within the housing 102 is a Peltier cooler 600 (see FIG. 2). Thiscomprises a main chiller sink 602 which protrudes through the opening422 into the chiller tank 400 to cool the water in the tank. There is aheat sink 604 behind the sink 602. A fan indicated at 606 is provided tocool the heat sink 602. A fan cowling 608 is formed integrally with therear wall 106 and vents 610 are provided within the area bound by thecowling 608.

A PC Board 610 carrying the controls for the cooler 600 is located atthe upper part of the rear wall 106.

The reservoir 200 is a blow moulded five liter bottle having an enlargedmouth 204 at its upper end. The mouth 204 comprises an externallythreaded cylindrical neck 206 with a belled portion 208 leading to thetop surface 210 of the bottle 202.

A valve device 212 (see FIG. 7) is provided in the mouth 204. The device212 has coaxial cylindrical inner and outer walls 214 and 216, the inner214 of which is longer than the outer wall 216. The walls are joined bya rounded end 218. The outer wall 216 has internal screw threads whichare adapted to mesh with the screw threads on the neck 206 to form aremovable cap for the bottle 200. The inner wall 216 has an inwardlydirected flange 220 at its lower end.

A valve member 222 is provided. The valve member 222 comprises acylindrical side portion 224 leading to a bottom part 226 having araised central disk 228 and a concave connecting member 230. The part226 has a peripheral extension 230 which in the closed position of thevalve member 222 rests on and seals against the upper surface of theflange 220. The side portion 224 is comprised by a number of equi-spacedaxially extending columns 228 between which are formed outlet openings234. These columns 228 taper inwardly as shown in FIG. 8.

At the bottom of the inner wall 214 is an outwardly directed flange 238.The inside wall 216 of the closure cap fits closely around the flange238 which, when the valve member 222 is in the sealing position shown inFIG. 7, seals against the wall below the openings 234 thereby preventingwater escaping from the reservoir 200. When the valve member 222 ismoved to its open position in which the flange 238 butts against the220, the openings 234 will be open to the interior of the reservoir andwater can escape therethrough into the water reception chamber and on tothe upper surface 318 of the of the filter 300.

The height of the central portion 228 of the valve 212 above the flange230 is less than the height of the outer surface 320 of the filter cap314.

A pair of openings are provided at the lower end of the front face 114of the housing. These respectively receive a pair of pins 154 on a driptray 158 which is located below the water outlet 122 and provides astand for a glass or the like to receive water from the cooler 10. Thefront wall 114 has a tear drop shaped indentation 160 below the spigot122 which serves both to give the water cooler 10 an aestheticallypleasing appearance and also to reinforce the front wall 114.

The rear wall 106 is provided with additional vents 162 at its upperportion to cool the PC board 610. These vents 162 are a wavy shape to beaesthetically pleasing. The rear member consists of rounded side wallswith inward extensions that can fit within the edges of the side walls112 of the frame.

In use, the reservoir valve 212 is removed and the reservoir bottle 200is filled with water. The valve 212 is replaced and the valve member 222moved to its closed position. The reservoir 200 is now brought to themain unit 100. It is inverted and located on the top surface 132. Theneck 206 projects into the lead-in portion 134. As it is placed inposition, the central part 320 of the cover member 314 of the filter cup302 engages the centre disk 228 of the valve member 222 causing it tomove upwardly to the open position thereby exposing the openings 234around it. At the same time the rounded connector end 218 fits into thegroove 312 in the flange 310 and seals the cap 212 thereagainst. Waterwill now pass through the openings 234, through the cover member 314 ofthe filter cup 302, through the filter medium and down through the base306 thereof where it is discharged on to the base 158 of the receptacle138. The water then passes through the boss 152 into the inlet tube 402of the tank 400, eventually filling the tank 400. The Peltier coolingdevice 600 will cool the water in the tank. When the user wishes to drawoff water, he operates the outlet controls 124 and water will be forcedup the delivery tube 406 through the delivery pipe to the outlet member122 and water can then be drawn off. Water is now drawn off from thereservoir to replenish the tank.

On the bottom end of the reservoir 200, there is a recess within whichis rotatably received a dial (not shown). Each time an operator refillsthe reservoir 200 he turns the dial 242 one unit. The size of the dialis such that when it completes a rotation indicated by suitable markingsthe user will know that the filter 300 must be replaced.

Referring now to FIG. 12 there is shown a modified miniature watercooler of the invention. This water cooler comprises a main unit 700 anda removable water reservoir (not shown) that is in the same form as isdescribed above.

The main unit 700 is generally the same as the unit 100. It includes ahollow housing 702 of square cross-section covered by a top member 704having a large central opening which is closed by a removable centralmember 706 that serves as a support for a water reservoir. Below thecentral member 706 there is a substantially horizontal but concavefrusto-conical plate 708 connected to the top member 704 by upwardlyextending integral peripheral vertical walls 710. At the centre of theplate 708 is an opening that is the mouth 712 of a tapering sided cupshaped filter receptacle 714 which is substantially identical to thereceptacle 138.

The central member 706 has a concave portion 716 in the form of aninverted dome. At the centre of the dome is an opening leading to atapering substantially cylindrical receiving cup 718 having a shortannular inward flange 720 at its lower end which rests on the plate 708adjacent the mouth 712 of the filter receptacle 714.

An annular over flow chamber 722 is provided being defined between thewalls 710, the cup 718, the lower surface of the concave portion 716 andthe plate 708. An opening passes between the flange 720 and the plate708 connecting the interior of the receptacle 714 to the chamber 722.

A filter 300 is received within the receptacle 714. The flange 310 ofthe filter cup rests on the flange 720 and the tapering configuration ofthe filter cup holds the base 306 of the filter spaced from the base 724of the receptacle. A boss 726 similar to the boss 152 connects the baseof the receptacle to the interior hydraulic passages and tank within thewater cooler.

The central member 706 is connected to the to the top member 704 byreleasable clips (one of which is indicated at 728) so as to beremovable for the reason set forth below.

In use, the reservoir is placed on the central member 706 with theclosure cap entering the upper end of the cup 718. The top surface 320of the filter 300 engages the valve member of the reservoir moving itwithin the closure cap into the open position. Water enters the filter300 through the openings 323. The water passing through the filterenters the interior of the main unit as described above. The water willcontinue to flow out of the reservoir until the hydraulic passages andtank are filled. As water is drawn off through the dispensing spout 730,water will flow from the reservoir into the tank and air in the tankwill enter reservoir. This continues until the tank is once more filled.

In certain circumstances, the ambient temperature where the water cooleris located may be warm. This may cause the air in the reservoir toexpand and the water in the reservoir will be expelled through thevalve. Because there is no other place for this expelled water to beaccommodated within the cooler, the water enters into the space betweenthe bases 306 and 724. This water will lift the filter 300 within thereceptacle and water will pass between the flange 720 and the plate 708into the overflow tank 722. The tank 736 will accommodate the waterbeing expelled and prevents water spillage from the water cooler.

When ambient temperature drops and the air in the reservoir returns toits normal volume, the water will be drawn back from the overflow tank722.

By having the central member 706 formed separately of the top part 704,the central member 706 can be temporally removed for cleaning theinterior of the overflow tank 736.

I have found that the water cooler 10 above described is an extremelysatisfactory, economical and aesthetically pleasing unit which providesfiltered water.

The user will know when to replace the filter by operating the dial orby any other convenient means so that quality water is dispensed by thewater cooler.

I have further found that the shape of the columns 232 is such as toensure that there is a satisfactory water supply from the reservoir 200to the tank 400 without the necessity of an air vent being provided forthe reservoir.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, forclarity, described in the context of separate embodiments may also beprovided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely variousfeatures of the invention which are for brevity described in the contextof a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in anysuitable combination

The invention is not limited to the precise constructional detailshereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings.

1. A water cooler adapted for use with a reservoir having an outletmouth within which is a normally closed closure valve that is movable toan open position in which it exposes delivery ports at the mouth,wherein the water cooler comprises: a tank that is connected to anoutlet spout from which water is dispensed, a water passage leading tothe tank, and a support on which the water reservoir may be placed ininverted position to deliver water to the water cooler, the supportincluding an inlet that in use is connected to the water reservoir andthat communicates with the water passage to deliver water to the tank,and a removable filter located in the water passage between the port andthe inlet, the filter being shaped with an upwardly projecting portionwhich is capable of engaging the closure valve to move it into the openposition when the reservoir is placed in position on the cooler.
 2. Awater cooler as claimed in claim 1 including a cup shaped receptacle inwhich the filter is releasably received.
 3. A water cooler as claimed inclaim 2 wherein the filter comprises a cup shaped member having a coverthereon and with a base therebelow and wherein filtration media isreceived in the cup shaped member.
 4. A water cooler as claimed in claim3 wherein the filter and the receptacle both comprise bases and thesetwo bases are slightly spaced so that water passing through the filterwill be received on the base of the receptacle.
 5. A water cooler asclaimed in claim 4 wherein the receptacle has a base which is providedwith an outlet opening that is connected to the inlet on the tank.
 6. Awater cooler as claimed in claim 2 wherein at the top of the receptaclethere is an upwardly directed surface and the filter has a surroundingflange which rests on the surface to support the filter within thereceptacle.
 7. A water cooler as claimed in claim 6 wherein an outeredge of the flange is upwardly inclined to give the flange a degree offlexibility so as to seal effectively against the upwardly directedsurface.
 8. A water cooler as claimed in claim 1 having a removablefilter located in the water passage, wherein the filter comprises acover member with a central upwardly projecting portion which is capableof engaging the closure valve to move it into the open position when thereservoir is placed in position on the cooler.
 9. A water cooler asclaimed in claim 8 wherein an axially extending reinforcing pillar isprovided in the filter to reinforce the projecting portion.
 10. A watercooler as claimed in claim 3 wherein the cover has very small ormicroscopic openings therein through which water enters into the cupshaped member.
 11. A water cooler as claimed in claim 3 wherein the basehas very small or microscopic openings therein through which waterescapes from the cup shaped member.
 12. A water cooler comprising a tankhaving a base, sides and an upper part, the tank being connected to anoutlet spout from which water is dispensed, a water passage leading tothe tank, and a support on which an inverted water reservoir may beplaced to deliver water to the water cooler, the support including aninlet that in use is connected to the water reservoir and thatcommunicates with the water passage to deliver water to the tank and aremovable filter located in the water passage between a port and theinlet, wherein the tank is formed with first and second upwardlyprojecting tubes formed integrally therewith, the first tube being atthe upper part of the tank with its mouth constituting the inlet and thesecond tube being at the side of the tank and being open near the baseof the tank to constitute a delivery tube.
 13. A water cooler as claimedin claim 12 wherein the second tube is connected by a flexible pipe tothe outlet spout.
 14. A water cooler as claimed in claim 13 wherein acooling device is provided adjacent the tank.
 15. A water cooler asclaimed in claim 14 wherein this cooling device is a Peltier coolerhaving a cooling plate, and wherein the tank is formed with an enlargedaperture in which the cooling plate is received.
 16. A water coolercomprising a tank having an interior that is connected to an outletspout from which water is dispensed, a water passage leading to thetank, and a support on which an inverted water reservoir may be placedto deliver water to the water cooler, the support including an inletchamber that in use is connected to the inverted water reservoir andthat communicates with the water passage to deliver water to the tank, aremovable filter located in the water passage, and an overflow tankconnected to the inlet chamber so that when excess water enters theinlet chamber this is conveyed to the overflow tank.
 17. A water cooleras claimed in claim 16 wherein the reservoir comprises a valve which isopenable by contact with a part in the water cooler when the tank isconnected to the port.
 18. A water cooler as claimed in claim 16 whereinthe support comprises a cover for the overflow tank and is optionallymovable to expose the interior of the tank for cleaning.
 19. Thecombination of a water cooler and a water reservoir, wherein the watercooler comprises a tank that is connected to an outlet spout from whichwater is dispensed, a water passage leading to the tank, and a supporton which the water reservoir when inverted may be placed to deliverwater to the water cooler, the support including an inlet that in use isconnected to the inverted water reservoir and that communicates with thewater passage to deliver water to the tank and a removable filterlocated in the water passage between a port and the inlet, and whereinthe water reservoir mounted on the support and is connected to the waterpassage, the water reservoir having an enlarged outlet mouth withinwhich is a closure valve incorporating a valve member that is movablefrom a sealing position to an open position in which it permits water toflow through the valve.